Taking A Chance
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Can you write a fic where Regina is the mayor and has two kids (Henry and a little girl) from a previous marriage, and Emma is the sheriff and Regina likes the sheriff but doesn't act on them until she sees how much her kids love Emma. – anonymous


_Can you write a fic where Regina is the mayor and has two kids (Henry and a little girl) from a previous marriage, and Emma is the sheriff and Regina likes the sheriff but doesn't act on them until she sees how much her kids love Emma. – anonymous_

_Thanks for the prompt anon :) _

_I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy the story :) _

Regina groans as her alarm goes off. It's always far too early but then on the weekdays it has to be so she can get herself and her kids ready for school and her job as a Mayor. Keeping her eyes closed she rolls over reaching for her alarm until it stops. Slowly she opens her eyes before stretching and yawning as she wakes. She sighs seeing the empty spot next to her.

Since her divorce four years ago she hasn't really dated. There's been the odd set-up from her friend Kathryn but nothing long-term. There is someone she wants to fill that certain space in her a life, an annoyingly beautiful blonde Sheriff who waltzed into her life a few months ago and has driven her crazy ever since. Regina likes to pretend she doesn't like Emma but who is she kidding? Emma knows it. She knows it. She just can't act on it.

After splitting from Henry and Lilly's father Regina made her focus her children. She didn't want to bring anyone into their life only for them to disappear again. They already went through seeing one person be in their life then leave them and Regina fears putting them through it again. Even if she longs to finally accept the Sheriff's offer of a date.

Regina shakes her head before getting up to start her day. She does her regular morning routine before moving to her closet. She grabs a black skirt suit before plucking a red blouse from her wardrobe. It was never her favourite shirt but she has a council meeting this morning which means Emma will be there and she knows the sheriff likes her in red. She shakes her head again for her reasoning before pulling her shirt on.

"Stop thinking about her Regina," she mutters, "You are the Mayor. She's the Sheriff. That's all it'll ever be so just stop thinking about it."

As if that were possible.

She grabs some shoes before walking down the hallway, "Henry!" she calls out first knocking on his door until she hears a grunt of "morning" to let her know her ten year old son has awoken. Confident that he is awake she walks down the hallway into her six year old's bedroom. "Lilly are you up?" she asks before her jaw drops at the chaos in the room. Her daughter has reorganised her entire room piling duvets and blankets and stuffed animals in the middle so she can dive into it.

"Lilly?" she asks again.

Her daughter's head pops up from beneath a stuffed panda, "Hi Mommy."

"Good morning Lilly. Did you sleep well?"

"I had a dream about a magic mermaid."

Regina chuckles, "Okay Lilly pad, sounds nice. Get ready for school please."

"Can we have waffles for breakfast?"

"I don't know sweetie, it's Henry's choice today remember?"

"Okay," Lilly says with a pout before reaching to grab her school uniform, "But he better not pick anything sucky."

Regina laughs before walking back down to her son's room. To keep things fair between her kids she lets them alternate weeks choosing what they have for breakfast, what movies they watch etc.

"Henry what do you want for breakfast?" she asks.

Her son pops his head around the door, "Uh wafflecakes?"

"What is a wafflecake?" Regina asks.

"A waffle wrapped in pancakes" Henry says. "My friend's Mom makes them."

"Okay then Henry, wafflecakes it is," she says ruffling his hair as he shakes her hand away. "Mom I'm ten" he reminds her with a frown. "You're still my little prince," Regina reminds him with a smile as she wanders down the stairs to make breakfast.

* * *

After dropping the children at school Regina hurries to her council meeting. In her rush she bumps into a figure in the hallway.

"Damnit I'm sorry" she apologies gathering her dropped files before looking up. She does her best to control her blush at having run straight into her crush.

Emma smiles at her and it damn near makes it hard to breathe for a second. _Friends. Mayor and Sheriff_ she reminds herself taking a deep breath. "No worries," Emma says, "Let me help."

They gather papers in silence before Emma hands her the last bunch, "So," she begins nervously tapping her hands on her denim clad knees, "Did you give any more thought to what I asked you?"

Regina looks away. On Friday Emma asked her out for a date and Regina said she would think about it. She would love to say yes and finally act on her feelings for the blonde. Yet she's scared. She's scared of letting Emma in and having her heart broken. She's scared of bringing someone into her family and having them leave. "I-I can't."

Emma's face falls, "Why? I thought we liked each other. Did I do something?"

"No," Regina replies, "It's not. It's just since my divorce I have to think about my kids and I just can't."

"You're scared I'll walk into your life and then just leave?"

Regina sighs, "Yes."

"So you won't even give me a chance," Emma says with a frown, "I wish you weren't so scared but I understand it. Look I like you and I get that you're not ready but when you are maybe you can ask me?"

Regina smiles, "That would be nice."

* * *

"Urgh" Regina says slamming her head down on the bar. Granny is watching her kids so she can have a girl's night out with Kathryn.

"She ask you out again?" Kathryn asks knowingly lifting her friend's head off the table.

"Yes," Regina says. She sighs stirring her drink as her friend watches. Regina's crush has been obvious to her for a very long time.

"What's holding you back?" she asks, "It's been four years since the divorce Regina. It's okay to move on and be happy."

"What about Henry and Lilly? How can I just bring someone into their lives only for someone else to leave them? Whoever dates me doesn't just date me. I have to think about the kids too."

Kathryn sighs, "Regina you're an amazing Mom. You are but you're allowed to be happy. Besides have you seen Emma with your kids? They love her."

"How do you know?"

"Because I go to Henry's little league games and Lilly's soccer matches. Emma's fun and she's clearly good with kids. Have you tried asking them?"

"What if they say no?" Regina asks chewing her lips apprehensively.

Kathryn frowns looking at her friend, "Hey, Regina listen to me you can't let fear hold you back forever. You deserve love and happiness and you clearly like Emma. Don't let fear stop you from giving her a chance."

"I don't know Kathryn," Regina says indecisively, "After I keep shooting her down she probably won't want to date me anyway."

"Really Regina? The only crush bigger than the one you have on Emma is the one Emma has on you."

"I hope so."

"So what are you going to do?" Kathryn asks hoping her friend will take a chance at happiness.

Regina takes a sip of her drink, "I don't know yet." What she's thinking is that her daughter has a soccer game tomorrow and perhaps she can both catch a glimpse of the coach and see how Emma is with kids.

* * *

"Come on Lilly!" Kathryn shouts as Regina laughs. Regina cheers as Lilly runs across the field and scores a goal.

"Yes! Show them how it's done!" her friend shouts and Regina pokes her in the side, "Calm down Kat, it's a six year old's soccer game."

"Sorry," Kathryn says before smiling sheepishly at the other parents staring at her, "She's a good player. I can't help it. I get swept up in the game."

"Of course," Regina says rolling her eyes before looking along the field and over to where Emma is. When the blonde sees her she waves and Regina waves back with a shy smile. Kathryn chuckles, "Yeah you don't like her at all."

"Shut up," Regina hisses trying to keep her focus on the game and waving at her daughter. Her eyes wander back to the side of the pitch where Emma excitedly cheers on the kids and encourages them to play.

_She really is good at this_ Regina thinks _plus she looks good in those shorts. _She shakes her head reminding herself of where she is. She doubts a children's soccer match is really the place to ogle the Sheriff's ass in shorts. Even if it is amazing.

She stands up and applauds with everyone else as the game comes to a close. Regina watches as her daughter runs up to Emma and high fives her before running up to her Mom.

"Did you see Mommy? I scored twice!" Lilly says proudly and Regina hugs her.

"I sure did munchkin. You're getting really good."

Lilly nods, "Yep coach Emma is awesome!" she declares before looking back to her teammates, "Can I go get ice-cream with everyone else. Emma says since I got the most goals I get double scoop."

Regina smiles, "Alright Lillypad have fun."

"So," Kathryn says as Lilly runs off to join her team, "Emma's good with kids."

"I know," Regina says knowing she cannot keep using her children as an excuse. "I know she is."

"You're still scared."

"There's good with kids for a soccer game but dating someone with children is different. She'll be around them a lot more."

Kathryn sighs, "Regina she'd be great. You're just making excuses. Look at her and Lilly."

Regina does seeing how Emma hands her the double scoop and the pair chat about soccer. She can't deny that clearly Emma is good with kids and that Lilly likes the coach. She sighs realising she can't keep hiding behind her children.

"Maybe it's time I talked to Lilly and Henry," she says. Her main fear is that they won't be accepting of whoever she dates. She knows that she can never know for sure until she actually talks to them. At the moment she's letting that fear stop her. She knows why she keeps putting off asking them. If they say no then it means she truly can't act on her feelings for Emma which would be devastating.

Kathryn smiles at her patting her friend on the shoulder, "It'll be fine."

* * *

Henry and Lilly sit on the couch waiting for their Mom to come downstairs.

"So," Lilly says, "What do you think this is about?"

Henry shrugs. When they got home from school their Mom called a family meeting and then proceeded to go hide upstairs for the past twenty odd minutes. "I don't know. Where do you think she is?"

"Hiding," Lilly replies nonchalantly.

"I think it's about Emma," Henry says.

"You mean how Mommy loves Coach Emma?" Lilly asks?

"Yep," Henry replies, "Maybe today she'll finally tell us."

"But we already know."

"Yeah but she doesn't know we know," Henry reminds his younger sister. For some reason their mother thinks her children have remained oblivious to her feelings for Emma. She didn't really fool Henry or Lilly. They both have seen how Regina looks at Emma. They were both thrilled mainly because it meant their Mom could be happy and with someone as cool as Emma. Then she did nothing about it.

"Maybe she's finally going to tell her," Lilly says hopefully.

"Maybe little bear," Henry says. "Let's just see what she says, okay?"

"Okay."

Regina finally enters the living room taking a deep calming breath. She sits down across from her children smiling nervously. "Kids I need to talk to you about something really important."

"We know. You only organise a family meeting if it's important," Henry says.

Regina smiles, "That's true."

"Anything bad?" Henry asks.

"No, no, nothing bad," Regina says, "Right well I've been apart from your father for four years now and well I've been thinking that maybe it's time I moved on."

Henry grins knowingly, "So you want to date someone?"

Regina blushes before slowly nodding as her kids share a grin. "I do. I just wanted to ask you kids first because whoever is in my life is in yours and so I need to make sure you're okay with who I have feelings for."

"Who is it?" Lilly asks excitedly.

"It's Emma," Regina says quietly awaiting their reaction.

"I knew it!" Henry cheers as he and Lilly high five. "Mommy loves Coach Emma!" Lilly shouts before tackling her mother in a hug. Regina laughs with happiness as her kids hug her. "You knew?"

"Mom you've had a crush on her since like Day One," Henry says, "Plus Emma's awesome."

"So you're really okay with this?" Regina asks just to make sure.

Lilly nods, "Yes. Mommy we want you to be happy and Coach Emma is so cool. If you guys date we can play soccer all the time!"

Regina smiles brightly as she hugs her kids. The only things holding her back now is herself. Maybe, just maybe it's time to give love another chance.

* * *

Emma wanders into work thinking about the stack of paperwork left to do on her desk. She knows a fun morning lies ahead for her. She sips her coffee knowing she'll need the pick me up today.

"Good morning."

She looks up startled at the sound of someone already in her office before looking up and smiling, "Hey Regina." After the other woman rejected her offer for a date she was understandably upset but she respected Regina's reasons. She can see why the other woman would be wary but all Emma wants is a chance. She doesn't just want one date with Regina. When she thinks about Regina she pictures everything. She imagines dating and hopefully becoming a part of Regina's family. She just wants a chance to date Regina. She loves the other woman and has no intentions of leaving her. Her heart beats loudly in her chest as she wonders if maybe today is the day Regina takes a chance.

"How can I help you Regina?" Emma asks as she sets her coffee cup down and leans in to talk to the other woman.

Regina bites her lip nervously before she smiles, "I've been thinking maybe I'm not scared anymore."

Emma smiles brightly, "Really?"

"Yeah. I've been using my kids as an excuse but they clearly like you and I've seen you as a coach and you're obviously good with kids so I can't hide behind them anymore. I've been letting fear hold me back for a long time Emma. After my divorce I've been afraid that maybe love isn't for me. I've been afraid that if I take a chance I'll just get hurt but I'm starting to see that not taking chances may stop me getting hurt but it also stops me from being happy. I like you. I've liked you for a long term and my kids like you and I think I want to take a chance with you." Regina says smiling hopefully at her.

Emma grins before pulling her in for a sweet kiss. When they part Emma looks at her, "I know I want to take a chance with you."

_Thanks for reading :) _


End file.
